This dessert-friendly cocktail is inspired by Kaffe Punch, a traditional Scandinavian drink combining black coffee with schnapps—a lot of schnapps. In this variation, we swapped out the schnapps for another clear Scandinavian spirit, Aquavit, and combined it with coffee liqueur to bring a creamy caffeinated kick then topped off with root beer effervesce and a tea cream. The sarsaparilla notes from the root beer really complement the star anise notes from the aquavit.

This cocktail is easy to make and is a show stopper. We created this recipe for Secret Supper PDX, a dinner series that takes place in incredible locations. In our case, the BEACH!

Directions: Pour aquavit and coffee liqueur into a rocks glass filled with ice. Top with root beer and then gently add a dollop of tea cream, enough to cover the top of the glass. Express lemon oil over the top of the glass. Enjoy!

*To make tea cream: Pour 1 cup of heavy cream into a sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add 1 sachet of Steven Smith Teamaker Astoriamaro Tea. Let steep for 30 minutes. Important: Keep the cream over a low flame. If you bring it up too high, you could scorch the cream and burn the natural fat. Bottle, date and refrigerate.

Bartender notes: You can swap out the Astoriamaro Tea for another black, aromatic tea, such as bergamot. If you prefer using loose leaf tea, strain before bottling using a fine mesh strainer.